Dieting Doesn’t Add Muscle

One of the fitness goals that many men and women have is gaining muscle. They want firm legs, ripped abs, lean shoulders, and arm definition but are constantly falling short in their ability to reach these goals. The problem is many guys and gals aren’t applying the right training strategies for lean muscle gains and look to dieting instead as the solution to getting in shape.

I’m going to call the women out here for a moment but men fall into this trap as well so everyone, pay attention! You will never get that strong, athletic looking body if all you’re doing is ‘dieting’ without putting much thought or effort into how you train. Unfortunately for most women, they think that dieting or starving themselves will get them the body that they want. I hear it all the time; “I want to firm up this (as they grab their inner thighs shaking it around) so I guess it’s time to start dieting” …

When it comes to firming up, two things have to happen. Some form of resistance training and getting that silly idea of dieting for a desired look out of your head. Let me say that again. If you want to get firm, toned, strong looking legs (or any muscle) you first need to change your mindset and accept the fact that dieting isn’t the solution and that you have to do strength-based exercise. This could be in the form of bodyweight training, dumbbells, machines, resistance bands, it really doesn’t matter but what does matter is that you add this to your routine.

Women can become so obsessed with fat loss and lose sight of their goal to build muscle. This is the difference between women and men and how they go about reaching for fitness goals. Men usually train for muscle hypertrophy (growth) and women typically train to slim down. For many women, this means going on some sort of restrictive diet in hopes that it will give them the muscular body that they are wanting. Sorry ladies, but that’s not how it works. Dieting doesn’t add muscle, it only helps shed weight and that’s why resistance training is an absolute must.

When training hard to reach muscle groups like the inner thighs, it seems as if they are just one of those parts of the body that never gets attention simply because they are misunderstood and often an afterthought. What ends up happening is that having toned inner thighs now seems to become a ‘diet’ issue and not a ‘muscle’ issue, but this is so far from the truth. And that’s where the trap lies.

It’s time to stop thinking this and understand that resistance training WILL give you the body that you want and that dieting should just become a lifestyle rather than a chore… If you lift weights, muscle will grow, and when muscle grows your metabolism revs up, and when it revs up you will lean out, and when you lean out you see results!

About The Author

Brian Klepacki has over 16 years of experience and education in the fitness and nutrition world. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and holds a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science from Florida Atlantic University.